What a psychiatrist's management plan means for your GP

Summary

• A management plan is a written assessment and plan the psychiatrist prepares and sends to your referring GP.
• It is the basis of MBS item 92435, which is claimed once, not per appointment.
• It hands your GP a plan for ongoing care. It does not give them authorisation to prescribe Schedule 8 ADHD medication if they do not already hold it.

What the plan contains

The plan sets out the psychiatrist's assessment, the diagnosis where one is made, and the recommended approach to ongoing management, including medication where it is considered clinically appropriate, monitoring, and when review is needed. It is written in clinical language because its audience is your GP.

Why it matters for the item you claim

MBS item 92435 covers the assessment and preparation of a management plan for a patient referred by their GP, and is claimable once in a course of treatment. Item 92437 covers an initial psychiatry consultation without that plan. The two are not interchangeable, and which applies depends on what the psychiatrist actually does. See psychiatry Medicare rebates for the difference.

The gap people run into

Receiving a plan is not the same as your GP being able to act on all of it. Prescribing ADHD stimulants requires authorisation under your state or territory's controlled-substances scheme, and a management plan does not confer it. If your GP does not hold that authorisation, you will need ongoing prescribing arranged another way, which is a conversation to have early rather than at the point your script runs out.

What to do with the plan

Book a follow-up with your GP once they have received it, and ask three things: have you received the plan, are you able to prescribe under it, and what is the review schedule. If the answer to the second is no, ask what they suggest instead.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get a copy?

You receive a written outcome, and the plan goes to your referring GP. Ask your psychiatrist what you will receive directly.

Can the plan go to a different GP later?

Records can usually be shared with a new GP with your consent. Ask the new practice how they prefer to receive it.

Does a plan mean I will be prescribed medication?

No. It records what the psychiatrist considers appropriate. Nothing about the plan guarantees a prescription. See what a psychiatrist can and cannot do.

Important: This is general information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. MBS items and their requirements are set by the Department of Health and can change. If you are in crisis, call Lifeline 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.